Mtbe is a very friendly community forum with no magazine affiliations.
It’s founder members are based in teeside so it does have quite an active north east membership who organise rides fairly regularly around the area however it’s popularity seems to be growing nationwide.
I’ve been a member there for a couple of years with the odd post and participation in the group rides.
I tend to have a guilty lurk here on singletrack as its quite a bit busier especially on non bike topics.

Hey all.
My mum (63) got gbs in jan this year. Lots of random symptoms (bladder blood clot, spiking bp) confused the diagnosis for about 10 days. The inability to walk was the big clue along with pins and needles in hands and feet. She had sickness bug about 3 weeks before.
So once diagnosed off to Newcastle rvi for about 2 months. Fortunately she never ended up on a ventilator and the legs were the worst affected. The initial treatment was a plasma transfusion which was quite effective although didnt put her back on her feet. It seemed she may never walk again until she was transferred back to shields pending a rehab ward. The physio terrorist there was ace and she was walking with a frame the same day and home by the end of the week.
By May she was able to manage stairs and buses etc.
Unfortunately it’s turned chronic (CIPD ) and she needs plasma every 2 months although is now being tried on steroids but she hasn’t regained her fine motor control and still has the sand in shoes feeling.
She had it easy compared to some such as Paul but still was a tough time and still is for her.
Wish I’d seen Paul’s blog at the time especially with him a local lad.

In the last few weeks I did the same with my old boardman ht pro just like chief.
Swapped the frame out for a second hand Cove Handjob.

Logically it doesn’t make sense.Going to all the hassle (it’s a bit time consuming) to swap out a nice light frame like the boardman for a heavier steel one, but i don’t regret it for a second. Maybe its the better sizing (I went from a 16″ boardman to a 17.5″ cove), or maybe the geometry but the bike just feels right now. Yes its heavier by a pound or two but such a comfy ride. As good as the boardmans are for value they not particularly cool. Its nice to get on a bike that looks good. (To those ITK anyway).

The boardman didnt owe me anything anyway as I got it from a guy at work who had it from new. That plus the handjob frame cost me less than £700. A good price for a Cove equipped with X9/X0.
Plus the boardman is now my commuter with much worse bits but still.